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Rotunda Review
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Rotunda Archive

April 19, 2010

The Nebraska Hospital Association – Nebraska's influential voice for health care.

Advocacy Resources

NHA Advocacy Action Center

NHA Bills of Interest Summary

Nebraska Legislature online

E-mail your state senator

Contact the Nebraska Governor 

Contact Nebraska's Congressional Delegation



The Unicameral Web site has been redesigned and includes comprehensive information about the senators, bill status, legislative calendar and news.

If you have questions or concerns about any state legislation, please contact Bruce Rieker, Vice President, Advocacy, at (402) 742-8146 or brieker@nhanet.org.



NHA legislative update

LINCOLN—In the final days of the 2010 legislative session, the following "bills of interest" to NHA members were signed into law or vetoed by Governor Heineman.  The NHA's position is listed behind each bill number, as well as the bill description and status.

  • LB 420 - (Supported) Change a sales tax exemption relating to nonprofit organizations. Vetoed by the Governor on 4/12/10.
  • LB 701 - (Monitored) Provide time limits and penalties for late workers' compensation medical payments. Signed into law on 4/14/10, effective 4/15/10.
  • LB 706 - (Monitored) Provide fees for competency assessments of hearing interpreters. Signed into law on 4/13/10, effective 7/15/10.
  • LB 780 - (Supported) Change Nebraska Workers' Compensation Act provisions relating to personal injuries.  Signed into law on 4/14/10, effective 7/15/10.
  • LB 800 - (Neutral) Provide methods of early intervention for children at risk. Signed into law on 4/14/10, effective date tentatively set for 7/15/10.
  • LB 849 - (Monitored) Change provisions relating to the Department of Health and Human Services. Signed into law on 4/13/10, effective 4/14/10.
  • LB 872 - (Supported) Change applicability of a medical fee schedule relating to workers' compensation. Signed into law on 4/12/10, effective 7/15/10.
  • LB 884 - (Supported) Require employers to provide employees with wage and deduction information as prescribed. Signed into law on 4/12/10 , effective 7/15/10.
  • LB 908 - (Monitored) Change workers' compensation provisions relating to claims for legal services or disbursements. Signed into law on 4/12/10, effective 7/15/10.
  • LB 945 - (Supported) Prohibit use of handheld wireless communication devices while driving. Signed into law on 4/13/10, effective 7/15/10.
  • LB 961 - (Supported) Provide for economic development training grants and change job training grant provisions.  Signed into law on 4/12/10, effective 7/15/10.
  • LB 999 - (Supported) Provide a moratorium on new hospital licenses and a study on health care. Signed into law on 4/14/10, effective 4/15/10.
  • LB 1002 - (Monitored) Provide for applications to the Commission on Indian Affairs for state assistance. Signed into law on 4/13/10, effective 7/15/10.
  • LB 1055 - (Monitored) Change provisions relating to extended unemployment benefits. Signed into law on 4/12/10, effective  7/15/10.
  • LB 1094 - (Monitored) Adopt the Nonrecourse Civil Litigation Act. Signed into law on 4/13/10, effective 7/15/10.

Click here to view the NHA 2010 Bills of Interest Summary. For additional legislative updates, visit www.nhanet.org. If you have questions or would like to share your perspective on a particular bill, please contact Bruce Rieker, Vice President, Advocacy, at (402) 742-8146 or brieker@nhanet.org.

Nebraska Hospital Association, April 16, 2010



NHA legislative update

LINCOLN—Nebraska's Unicameral completed its 2010 legislative session on Wednesday, April 14. Once again, health care received a great deal of attention from policymakers at the state level. Many legislative proposals that affect access, quality and cost of health care were proposed and debated. Some were signed into law, others were not.

NHA Vice President Bruce Rieker will provide an update about this year's 60-day legislative session on Thursday, April 22. Mr. Rieker will discuss the state's current budget status and its impact on issues such as prenatal care, provider reimbursements, investor-owned hospitals, sales and use taxes on health clinics, and many more issues important to Nebraska's community hospitals and their ability to deliver health care. Click here for more information.

Nebraska Hospital Association, April 15, 2010





 

LB 999 signed into law

LINCOLN—Governor Heineman Wednesday signed into law LB 999, a bill which imposes a moratorium on new hospitals and requires the Legislature to study the issues associated with investor-owned hospitals, ambulatory surgical centers and full-service community hospitals to determine if policy changes are necessary before the Legislature convenes in January 2011.

The moratorium created by LB 999 prohibits the licensure of all hospitals, except Critical Access Hospitals, that are not under construction as of May 1, 2010 and continues through September 15, 2011 in order to allow the Legislature to study the issue, develop policy as needed during the 2011 legislative session and implement it before the moratorium expires.

Under the bill, the Legislature’s Health and Human Services Committee will conduct a study that examines: referral practices; ownership disclosure; community benefits; uncompensated and under-compensated patient care; full-service community hospitals and limited-service facilities; compliance with the federal Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act; and the impact of federal health care reform.

Nebraska Hospital Association, April 16, 2010



Future sales tax exemption for nonprofit health clinics vetoed

LINCOLN—Health care clinics owned by a single nonprofit hospital will continue paying sales tax after a bill providing them an exemption was vetoed. LB 420, introduced by Kearney Senator Galen Hadley, was approved by the Legislature April 12. Under the bill, nonprofit health clinics receiving federal funds through the U.S. Public Health Service and serving medically underserved populations also could have claimed the sales and use tax exemption. Read more.
 
Unicameral Update, April 13, 2010

 

20-week abortion ban approved

LINCOLN—Senators passed a bill April 13 that bans abortions after 20 weeks of gestation, except when the abortion would preserve the life of a patient or a fetus in the womb. LB 1103, introduced by Norfolk Senator Mike Flood, requires abortion providers to determine the probable post-fertilization age of the fetus. If the fetus is determined to be at 20 weeks or more, an abortion is prohibited. Read more.
 
Unicameral Update, April 13, 2010

 

Monster budget gap awaits

LINCOLN—The end of this year’s legislative session didn’t bring the usual sense of closure to Nebraska lawmakers. Not with the size of the budget monster that lies in wait when they reconvene next January. The revenue shortfall is more than 8 percent of estimated state spending for the two-year budget period starting July 1, 2011. In raw numbers, it’s calculated at $679 million. Read more.
 
Omaha World-Herald, April 19, 2010

 

Obama signs unemployment benefits bill

WASHINGTON—President Barack Obama quickly signed an extension of jobless benefits into law upon returning to the White House Thursday night. The Senate approved an $18 billion extension to benefits on Thursday, sending the bill to the president. The legislation had been stalled in the Senate for weeks, causing a halt to benefits for hundreds of thousands of unemployed workers. The legislation approved Thursday night provides benefits retroactively to cover that gap. The package restores unemployment insurance and COBRA health care plan benefits that had lapsed since the end of March. Read more.
 
The Hill, April 16, 2010

 

President Obama extends hospital visitation rights

WASHINGTON—President Obama mandated that nearly all hospitals extend visitation rights to the partners of gay men and lesbians and respect patients' choices about who may make critical health care decisions for them. Administration officials and gay activists said the new rule will affect any hospital that receives Medicare or Medicaid funding, a move that covers the vast majority of the nation's health care institutions. Obama's order will start a rule-making process at the Department of Health and Human Services that could take several months, officials said, the Washington Post reports. Read more. View presidential memorandum.
 
Washington Post, April 16, 2010


 

AHA issue papers examine 2010 advocacy priorities

WASHINGTON—The American Hospital Association (AHA) today released 12 issue papers outlining the association’s advocacy priorities for 2010. The papers, which help members explain the hospital field’s concerns to their legislators, will be highlighted at the AHA Annual Membership Meeting April 25-28 in Washington, D.C. Topics range from health information technology to clinical integration and fall into three categories: Shaping the Future for a Healthier America, Advancing Excellence in Patient Care, and Protecting the Promise of Care. Online registration for the AHA meeting has been extended through April 21, and a limited number of hotel rooms are still available. For more information or to register, visit www.aha.org.

AHA News Now, April 16, 2010


 


For more information about health-related legislative bills or resolutions, contact: Bruce Rieker, Vice President, Advocacy, at (402) 742-8146 or brieker@nhanet.org.


NHA Rotunda Review is published by the Nebraska Hospital Association, 3255 Salt Creek Circle, Lincoln, NE 68504. Phone (402) 742-8140, Fax (402) 742-8191. Visit our Web site at www.nhanet.org. Kelley Porter, editor, at (402) 742-8151, or email, kporter@nhanet.org.



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